Tape-measure.



Patented July I8 1899.

H. ST ElNME-TZ.

TAPE MEASURE.

(Applicatinn flied In. 31, 1899.)

(No Modei.)

//v VEN-TOH I II Moro-Lama WASH! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC HERMANNSTEINMETZ, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

TAPE-MEASURE.

SPECIFICATION fdrming part of Letters Patent at. 629,139, dated July is,1 99.

Application filed March 31, 1899 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN; STEINMETZ, a citizen of the United States,residing in Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tape-Measures, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in tape-measures, andmore especially to improvements in the rotary center pieces of the same,by which the steel or other tape is wound up after use; and theinvention consists of atape-measure the rotary center piece of whichisconnected with the case of the tape-measure by means of a headedcenter The invention consists, secondly, of a tape- I measure in whichthe rotary center .piece is provided with a covering-plate attachedthereto, said covering-platebeing composed of two united layers or sheetmetal, a hinged crank plate fitting into acorres'ponding recess or seat'in said covering-plate, also formed of two united layers of sheet metaland provided with a pivoted crank, the pintle of the hinged crank-platebeing retained in sleeves of the covering-plate and crank-plate, as willbe fnllydescribed hereinafter and finally point ed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top view of myimproved tapemeasure, showing the crank folded into the center piece ofthe tape-measure. Fig.2 is a similar view of the same, showing the crankin outwardly-swung position, so as to be ready for winding up the tape.elevation of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of thetape-measure and itsoenter piece on line 4 4, Fig. 2, drawn on a largerscale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the case of the tape-measure,which is made of Fig. 3 is an end Serial No. 711,195. (No model.)

two sections of leather stitched together with edges in the usualmanner.

B is the rotary center piece, which is guided in a circular rim min thetop part of the case, said center piece being provided with aninwardly-extending pin b, to which the loopshaped inner end of thegraduated steel or other tape 0 is applied in the'well-lrnown manner.

The rotary center piece B is provided with a diametrical groove (1, intowhich the folding crank-handle D of the hinged crankplate Dis placedwhen the handle and crankplate are folded up into the center piece, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The center piece B is provided with a hub b at its under side having anopening 19 into.

which is fitted the inner end of a center pivot E, the outer end ofwhich has a daring head 6, while the inner end is flattened atoppositesides at e e and extended into the center 5', as shown in Fig. 4. N I

. The'centerpiece B is connected with the centerpivot E by afastening-screw F, the head fof which has a certain play in thecylindrical center portion f of the center piece, as shown in Figs. 2and 4t, and the threaded piece, so as to fit into the opening of thehubshank of which engagesa threaded socket in the inner end of the centerpivot E, so that a tight connection between the case and the centerpiece can he established.

The outer or face side of thecenter piece B is provided with acovering-plate B, which has an opening d of the size and shape of thecrank-plate, said opening being in line with the diametrical'groove (lof the center piece,

the side walls of the groove forming shoulders or seats d for thecrank-plate D, as shown in Fig. 2. The opening ofthe covering-plate .Bis provided with a contraction at its centerwhich prevents the detachingof the con: necting-screw F from the center piece when it is unscrewedfrom the center pivot E.

.When the handle and the hinged crank-plate are placed in position inthe recess of the center piece and opening of the covering-plate B", itis difficult to open the crank-plate for For the purrewinding thetape-measure. pose of facilitating the lifting and opening of thecrank-plate pressure is exerted on the opposite side of the case and onthe head of the center pivot, so that a slight lifting action is exertedby the head of the connecting-scrm'v from the inside on 'the crank-plateand the same slightly lifted, so that it will either open by gravity orpermit the thumb'to take hold of it and place itin open position forwinding. It is therefore not necessary to have a nickin the edge of thecrank-plate for raising the same. From time to time the connectingscrewis turned for a few turns, so as to reestablish the tight connection ofthe center piece with the center pivot and case. This is especiallynecessary when the tape-measure has been used for some time, as thatside of the case which is usually pressed upon as .sumes aslightly-concave form and produces thereby the loose fit of the centerpiece, which is tightly reseated in the case by screwing up theconnectingscrew into the center pivot.

The covering-plate of the center piece has heretofore been cast in onepiece with the center piece, while the crank-plate was also made of castmetal. This is dispensed with in my improved center piece by making thecovering-plate B in a separate piece from the center piece and fasteningit on the same by means of fastening-screws g. The coveringplate B ismade of two layers of sheet metal, which are riveted together. The upperlayer is stamped up by dies, so as to form sleeves g for the steelpintle h, to which the crankplate is hinged. The crank-plate D is alsomade of two layers which are stamped out of the covering-plate 13 andriveted together, a pintle-sleeve g being obtained by closing up theends of thetwo layers from which the crank-plate is formed. The lug (1to which the crank-handle D is pivoted, is riveted to the outer end ofthe crank-plate. By making the covering-plate, as well as thecrankplate, in this manner of two layers of sheet metal much greaterstrength is imparted to them, so that they can resist breakage and wearmuch better than the center piece and folding crank-plates heretofore inuse in tapemeasures. Besides this the center piece, with its foldingcrank-plate and handle, can be manufactured much cheaper, as the millingand drilling of the pintle-socket which was heretofore necessary isdispensed with and as all parts of my improved center piece andcovering-plate can be conveniently assembled without requiring anyspecial manipulation and finishing operations.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent I 1. The combination, with the rotary center piecehaving a diametrical recess and a hub with an oblong opening, of acovering-plate, a crank-plate, a handlehinged to said covering-plate andfitting into said recess, a center pivot having an enlarged head and arecessed shank fitted into the opening of the hub, and a screwconnecting the center piece with the center pivot, said screw permittingthe lifting of the crank-plate out of the center piece by pressureexerted on the head of the center pivot so as to facilitate the openingof the crank-plate, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tape-m easure, the combination,with a rotary center piece havinga diam etrical recess or depression,of a covering-plate, a crankplatehinged thereto, a handle pivoted to the under side of the crank-plateand adapted to fit in the depression in the center piece, a cent-erpivot connecting said centerpiece with the case of the tape-measure andprovided with an enlarged head and a recessed shank fitting into the hubof the centerpiece, and a screw connect-in g the center piece with thecenter pivot, the head of the screw being guided in a cylindrical centerportion of the center piece, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tape-measure, the combination,with the rotary center pieceprovided with a covering-plate having an opening for the crank- I plate,a diametrical recess or depression in HERMANN STEINMETZ.

' \Vitnesses: PAUL GonBnL, M. II. WURTZEL.

